Read A Taste of Magic (A Sugarcomb Lake Cozy Mystery Book 1) for Free Online Page A

or are you going to tell me?”
    “I’m going to start up my own newspaper.  I know it sounds crazy but it’s not.  These days thanks to technology, all you really need is some paper and a printer.  I’m going to hand out newspapers in the town square.  The first one will be free and after that I’ll sell subscriptions.”
    Liana looked skeptical.  “If it’s that easy, then why did the Gazette go out of business?”
    “Their expenses were too high,” Clarissa explained.  “I’m not renting office space or paying employees.  It’s just me, working out of my house.  So I will have virtually no costs except ink and paper.”
    “I see.  That sounds like a massive undertaking,” Liana cautioned.
    “It is.  But a little hard work never killed anyone, right?  Oh, and best of all: I’m going to sell subscriptions for less than subscriptions to The Green City Chronicle cost,” Clarissa added smugly.  “Everybody loves a bargain!  So I’ll sell copies and take business away from the jerks that shut down the Gazette.”
    “That’s...that’s actually pretty brilliant!” Liana admitted, looking awed.  “How can I help?”
    “You’re a graphic artist,” Clarissa said.  “Will you make me a banner – some kind of cool logo?”
    “Consider it done!” Liana grinned.  “This is so exciting!  Sign me up for a subscription.  Actually, sign me up for two – I’ll send the second one to my parents.  Oh, I almost forgot, I got you that landscaping job with my neighbor if you still want it.”
    “That’s great,” Clarissa said gratefully.  “Maybe I can afford groceries this month after all!”
    “Is it that bad?” Liana asked, wide eyed.  “Why don’t you come over for dinner and –”
    “Relax, I was exaggerating,” Clarissa said – though she hadn’t been exaggerating by much. “Besides, I know what your idea of cooking is.  You’re the only person I know who managed to ruin a perfectly good peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
    “Hey, that was way back in college!  And besides, I was on a health kick at the time.  I thought the sandwich would be healthier with protein powder in it,” Liana said defensively.  “I was making it fit my macros.”
    “It wasn’t the protein powder that ruined it as much as the kale.”
    “Kale is a superfood,” Liana protested indignantly.  Then she added, “You’re no cook yourself.  Remember the time you tried to make me a birthday cake and it ended up being like some weird pancake thing that was as hard as a rock?”
    “I’d love to reminisce but I have tons of work to do!” Clarissa announced.
    “Okay, I can take a hint,” Liana said good-naturedly as she headed toward the door. 
    Then something across the room caught her eye. 
    She stopped dead in her tracks.  Her face lit up like a Christmas tree decorated with dynamite. 
    “Who is that ?!” she squealed, racing across the room.
    Clarissa knew the drill. 
    She knew she was powerless to stop it. 
    All she could do was watch the horror unfold.
    “Oh my goodness, who are you?  Who are you?!” Liana crooned in a baby talky sort of tone.  “You’re my new best friend, that’s who you are!  Oh yes, yes you are!  Yes you are!  Oh, you look so soft!  Do you like being pet?  I want to pet you!  I just want to eat you up!  Yes I do!”
    The black cat was curled up on Clarissa’s favorite chair, no doubt shedding all over it.  It cracked an eye open as Liana charged toward it, but seemed mostly disinterested.  It rolled over as she approached, turning its back to her.  When she tried to pet it, the cat growled menacingly.  Then it proceeded to fall back to sleep.
    The way Liana always fussed over animals – particularly cats – could be downright terrifying.  Clarissa had to suppress a smile as her friend turned around, looking dejected.  The whole thing really was kind of comical.
    “That’s the first cat I’ve met that doesn’t like me,” she